Your ingredient list
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SCOBY note
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Estimates based on the ratios commonly used in home kombucha brewing: roughly 1.3–1.7 g of leaf tea per litre and 45–68 g of sugar per litre depending on the strength you choose, with starter liquid at 7–10 % of the batch. Weigh your tea and sugar rather than eyeballing them if you want repeatable results.
How to read these numbers
Tea
Enough leaf to give the brew structure and tannin, without so much that it turns bitter. Loose leaf is easier to adjust than bags, but the calculator converts to an approximate bag count if you prefer.
Sugar
Sugar is food for the culture, not sweetness in the finished drink — most of it is consumed during the first fermentation. Plain white cane sugar is the standard choice because it ferments predictably.
Starter liquid
Already-fermented tea from a healthy batch. It lowers the pH immediately, which is what protects the brew while the culture establishes itself. More starter means a faster, safer start.
SCOBY / pellicle
The visible pellicle is a by-product of fermentation, not the fermenting agent itself. A healthy pellicle is a good sign, but the liquid beneath it is where the work happens.
Starting ratios at a glance
Per 1 US gallon (3.8 L) of first fermentation, these are the ranges most home recipes land in.
| Ingredient | Per US gallon | Per litre | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loose leaf tea | 4–6 g | 1.1–1.6 g | About 2–3 tea bags |
| Sugar (light) | 170 g | 45 g | Drier, faster finish |
| Sugar (standard) | 208 g | 55 g | The everyday ratio |
| Sugar (strong) | 257 g | 68 g | Richer body, more attention |
| Starter liquid | 250–380 ml | 65–100 ml | 7–10 % of the batch |
| Water | to volume | to volume | Filtered if your tap water is heavily chlorinated |
A note on sugar and health. The first fermentation consumes most of the sugar, but the finished drink still contains some. If you are managing blood sugar, treat kombucha as a sweetened drink and talk to a healthcare professional about whether it fits your diet.
About these calculators
The formulas behind these tools are widely published home-brewing approximations, not laboratory-grade models. They are intended to point you in the right direction and to make your own batches repeatable — they are not a substitute for measuring your brew, and they cannot guarantee a result.
- Every calculator runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is transmitted, logged or stored.
- Figures are approximate. Tea strength, sugar type, room temperature, vessel shape and the health of your culture all shift the outcome.
- pH is a safety-relevant measurement. Treat the estimator as a planning aid only, and confirm with strips or a calibrated meter before bottling.
- Finished kombucha contains trace alcohol and caffeine. It is not suitable for children, and anyone who is pregnant, breastfeeding, immunocompromised, diabetic or taking medication should consult a healthcare professional before drinking it.
- Kombucha is a food, not a medicine. Nothing on this site claims it treats, cures or prevents any disease.